Whole Egg Nutrition Facts

Eggs are a rich source of nutrients and benefit those who eat eggs, especially whole. Many people prefer eating only the egg whites, rather than whole, since the yolk carries all the cholesterol content and saturated fat. There are many ways to make an egg, and people are coupling them with other ingredients and spices to make delicious dishes using them as their main ingredient.

It is used also as a key ingredient to give pastries more fluff during the baking process. As delicious as these are, and as versatile a food, eggs need to be eaten in limited amounts due to its high content of fat and cholesterol, as mentioned earlier. Whole egg calories sum up to different amounts based on the way they're cooked, and how many eggs are used in a single dish. Here we look into the whole egg nutrition facts of three kinds of egg making methods - fried, hard-boiled and scrambled eggs, to determine how some cooking techniques fluctuate the calories of a single dish.

Egg Anatomy

Before we get into whole egg nutrition, we first look into the different elements that make up an egg.

Air CellAfter an egg is laid the contents of it start to contract and cool down. In the large rounded area of the egg, the air cell is made by trapping air between two membranes within the shell. The 'candling' process is when eggs are passed in front of a bright light in order to see the air cell and accordingly grade it. The air cell size gradually decreases as the egg starts to mature. That is why they say to put into water to check if they're fresh; by that this means that if it floats it is stale.

EggshellAn egg's outer covering protects it from outside contaminants and damage. It is made up of calcium carbonate with microscopic holes making it porous in nature. A coating that is naturally enveloping the egg, called the 'bloom' is what protects these pores from being exposed. When this bloom covering starts to wear out, the pores are exposed and air is allowed to enter, expanding the air cell from within. When these eggs are ready for sale, sellers first wash the egg's surface to remove residing germs, coating it then with a mineral oil to protect the egg and making it last longer in the process.

AlbumenThis portion of the egg is the white portion that circles the yolk, and consists of four layers, namely, the thin outer white, thin inner white, thick outer white and thick inner white. This part of the egg contains half of the protein content present in the whole egg. The yolk is where all the cholesterol concentrate is at, with no traces of it in the egg's white portion.

YolkThe yellow bulbous portion of the egg is known as the yolk. A membrane, that is, the 'vitelline', is what protects the egg's yolk from breaking; when the egg ages, this membrane lining breaks over time. This portion of the egg is solely rich in Vitamin E, K and D.

ChalazaA stringy thick strand is what keeps the yolk and the egg whites together, and doesn't need to be extracted before the egg is eaten.

Whole Egg Nutrition Facts Chart

Do keep in mind that eggs come in varying sizes, therefore changing the values of each nutrient. An average medium-sized egg, usually contains:

Nutrient Content (Calories: 63)

Values

Protein

6 g

Cholesterol

186 mg

Sodium

62 mg

Saturated Fat

1 g

Cooked eggs depending on their size, consists of the following values:

SE = Scrambled Egg (50g) = 74 cal

FE = Fried Egg (46g) = 92 cal

HE = Hard-Boiled Egg (136g) = 211 cal

Nutrient Content

SE

FE

HE

Protein (g)

6

6

17

Thiamin (%)

2

2

6

Magnesium (%)

2

1

3

Sodium (mg)

70

94

168

Zinc (%)

4

4

10

Vitamin C (%)

0

0

0

Calcium (%)

3

3

7

Riboflavin (%)

14

14

41

Vitamin A (%)

5

7

16

Iron (%)

5

5

9

Cholesterol (mg)

212

210

577

Saturated Fat (g)

2

2

4

Polyunsaturated Fat (g)

1

1

2

Monounsaturated Fat (g)

2

3

6

Copper (%)

3

3

1

Potassium (%)

2

2

5

Vitamin D (%)

4

4

-

Carbohydrates (g)

-

-

2

Sugars (g)

-

-

2

Pantothenic Acid (%)

7

7

19

Vitamin B6 (%)

4

4

8

Health Benefits of Eggs

Listed here the many health aids that eggs provide, when consumed. Just remember to go easy on them keeping their high fat and cholesterol content in mind.

Contains all 9 essential amino acids.

Good for the eyes due to carotenoid content, that is, zeaxanthin and lutein.

It is a good source of choline - this regulates the nervous system, cardiovascular system and the brain.

Rich in proteins.

Rich in vitamin D.

Helps prevent heart attacks and blood clots.

Can reduce the risk of breast cancer by consuming on an average about 6 eggs in a week.

Too many eggs aren't good although an egg every alternate day is sufficient since saturated fat is about 1.5 grams an egg.

Lowers the risk of getting cataract.

High sulfur content makes it good for maintaining one's nails and hair growth.

With these egg nutrition facts I'm sure you'll be able to gauge as to how much you need to use in a span of a week. Eat healthy!